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The assessment of performance of water companies is essential for their regulation. In doing so, several variables and models can be employed. This study evaluates and compares the performance of a sample of English and Welsh water companies from the operational, environmental and eco-efficiency perspectives by applying the non-radial data envelopment analysis range adjusted measure model. This methodological approach allows integrating greenhouse gas emissions as undesirable output. The results indicated that the water industry performed well from an operational perspective. However, environmental inefficiency considerably exists which illustrates the difficulties of the water companies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The average eco-efficiency was 0.783 which means that while expanding water services, water companies could further reduce costs and carbon emissions by 11.7% on average. Other factors such as water treatment complexity and population density significantly affect water companies’ eco-efficiency. Several policy implications are finally discussed.
Ramón Sala-Garrido; Manuel Mocholí-Arce; María Molinos-Senante; Alexandros Maziotis. Comparing Operational, Environmental and Eco-Efficiency of Water Companies in England and Wales. Energies 2021, 14, 3635 .
AMA StyleRamón Sala-Garrido, Manuel Mocholí-Arce, María Molinos-Senante, Alexandros Maziotis. Comparing Operational, Environmental and Eco-Efficiency of Water Companies in England and Wales. Energies. 2021; 14 (12):3635.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRamón Sala-Garrido; Manuel Mocholí-Arce; María Molinos-Senante; Alexandros Maziotis. 2021. "Comparing Operational, Environmental and Eco-Efficiency of Water Companies in England and Wales." Energies 14, no. 12: 3635.
The management of municipal solid waste sector is crucial for a sustainable circular economy. Waste utilities are expected to provide high quality solid waste services at an affordable price. The efficient management of solid waste requires its assessment from an economic and environmental perspective, i.e., eco-efficiency assessment. Although the reduction of unsorted waste incurs an economic cost, its positive externalities are huge for the well-being of society, the environment, and people. Our study quantifies the marginal cost of reducing any unsorted waste using stochastic frontier analysis techniques which allow us to estimate the eco-efficiency of the waste sector. Our empirical approach focuses on the municipal solid waste collection and recycling services provided by several waste utilities in Chile. The results indicate that substantial eco-inefficiency in the sector exists, since the average eco-efficiency score is roughly 0.5 which means that the municipalities could approximately halve their operational costs and unsorted waste to produce the same level of output. The average marginal cost of reducing unsorted waste is 32.28 Chilean pesos per ton, although notable differences are revealed among the waste utilities evaluated. The results provided by this study are of great interest to stakeholders to promote sustainable management solutions and resource efficient solid waste services.
Maria Molinos-Senante; Alexandros Maziotis. The Cost of Reducing Municipal Unsorted Solid Waste: Evidence from Municipalities in Chile. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6607 .
AMA StyleMaria Molinos-Senante, Alexandros Maziotis. The Cost of Reducing Municipal Unsorted Solid Waste: Evidence from Municipalities in Chile. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (12):6607.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Molinos-Senante; Alexandros Maziotis. 2021. "The Cost of Reducing Municipal Unsorted Solid Waste: Evidence from Municipalities in Chile." Sustainability 13, no. 12: 6607.
Analyzing costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be of great importance for the water utilities to supply water services in a healthy and sustainable manner. In this study, we measured the eco-efficiency of several water utilities in England and Wales by incorporating GHG as an undesirable output. For the first time, we evaluated the eco-efficiency of the water production process using robust cross-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques. The further use of clustering and regression techniques allowed us to better understand the drivers of eco-efficiency. The results showed that the mean eco-efficiency of the water sector was 0.748, which indicates that costs and GHG emissions could be reduced by 25.2% to generate the same level of output. Large water companies with high energy costs and levels of GHG emissions belonged to the less eco-efficient group. Environmental factors related to density, topography, and treatment complexity further impacted eco-efficiency. Finally, we linked our results to the regulatory cycle and discuss some policy implications.
Ramon Sala-Garrido; Manuel Mocholi-Arce; Maria Molinos-Senante; Michail Smyrnakis; Alexandros Maziotis. Eco-Efficiency of the English and Welsh Water Companies: A Cross Performance Assessment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 2831 .
AMA StyleRamon Sala-Garrido, Manuel Mocholi-Arce, Maria Molinos-Senante, Michail Smyrnakis, Alexandros Maziotis. Eco-Efficiency of the English and Welsh Water Companies: A Cross Performance Assessment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (6):2831.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRamon Sala-Garrido; Manuel Mocholi-Arce; Maria Molinos-Senante; Michail Smyrnakis; Alexandros Maziotis. 2021. "Eco-Efficiency of the English and Welsh Water Companies: A Cross Performance Assessment." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 6: 2831.
This first chapter sets the scene for the work presented in this book. Based on a review of the literature, the chapter introduces a definition of economic policy instruments (EPIs) and a classification of broad categories of EPIs relevant for water policy that will be used to present the following parts of the book (prices, trading and other instruments) and following chapters/case studies under each part. A literature review is presented to justify the relevance on the selection of the three broad categories of instruments selected. Further, this chapter introduces the state of the art in the application of water EPIs and their ex-post evaluation, which is followed by the presentation of the criteria that is used for the evaluation of economic policy instruments that has been applied to all the case studies in the book. In this context, criteria are grouped into three outcome criteria and three process criteria. Outcome-oriented criteria describe how the EPIs perform. They include intended and unintended economic and environmental outcomes and the distribution of benefits and costs among the affected parties. These steps consider the application of cost effectiveness and cost benefits analysis for example to assess ex-post performance of the EPI. Process criteria describe the institutional conditions (legislative, political, cultural, etc.) affecting the formation and operation of the studied EPI (particularly relevant if we are assessing the possible impacts from the use of economic instruments), the transaction costs from implementing and enforcing the instruments and the process of implementation.
Manuel Lago; Jaroslav Mysiak; Carlos M. Gómez; Gonzalo Delacámara; Alexandros Maziotis. Defining and Assessing Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century 2015, 1 -13.
AMA StyleManuel Lago, Jaroslav Mysiak, Carlos M. Gómez, Gonzalo Delacámara, Alexandros Maziotis. Defining and Assessing Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century. 2015; ():1-13.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManuel Lago; Jaroslav Mysiak; Carlos M. Gómez; Gonzalo Delacámara; Alexandros Maziotis. 2015. "Defining and Assessing Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable Water Management." Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century , no. : 1-13.
This final chapter presents the overall balance of collection of cases presented in the whole book. In line with the structure of the book, rather than assessing the EPIs themselves, this analysis focuses on their potential and actual contribution to the goals of water policy as the main criterion to discuss the screening, design and implementation of the EPIs. Furthermore, the discussion focuses on two critical aspects that may determine EPIs’ success or failure: the first one is the need to deal with the multiple goals that are distinctive of water policy; in the water policy arena any instrument is expected to serve to development, financial, environmental and other social goals at the same time and any instrument must consider the trade-offs implied. The second relates with how the EPIs chosen match within the institutional set up which, at least, is essential to define property rights and to reduce transaction costs, and then to make a given EPIs a viable option to improve water governance. Through the revision of the cases presented in the book this chapter stresses the difficulties as well as the importance of building fact based evidence about the virtues of EPIs. In the absence of that, EPIs selection and design is mostly guided by its presumed rather than its actual contribution to water policy. The chapter also contains a balance of the contribution of EPIs to help improving water quality, reduce scarcity and manage drought risks and to protect and restore river ecosystems and concludes with the main lessons learnt from the wide set of experiences covered all along the book.
Carlos M. Gómez; Gonzalo Delacámara; Alexandros Maziotis; Jaroslav Mysiak; Manuel Lago. Key Conclusions and Methodological Lessons from Application of EPIs in Addressing Water Policy Challenges. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century 2015, 393 -415.
AMA StyleCarlos M. Gómez, Gonzalo Delacámara, Alexandros Maziotis, Jaroslav Mysiak, Manuel Lago. Key Conclusions and Methodological Lessons from Application of EPIs in Addressing Water Policy Challenges. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century. 2015; ():393-415.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarlos M. Gómez; Gonzalo Delacámara; Alexandros Maziotis; Jaroslav Mysiak; Manuel Lago. 2015. "Key Conclusions and Methodological Lessons from Application of EPIs in Addressing Water Policy Challenges." Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century , no. : 393-415.
Over the last decades, Cooperative Agreements (CAs) (voluntary, payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes etc.) have been introduced as supplements to existing command and control regulations, i.e. as part of policy mix, for promoting higher water and environmental efficiency levels than mandated by law. This chapter illustrates the effectiveness and efficiency of CAs among farmers, water companies, authorities and citizens to achieve water policy goals in Europe and beyond. These include voluntary agreements and PES schemes to improve water quality in Dorset (UK), in Evian (France) and in New York (USA) and river restoration in Ebro (Spain). A negotiation agreement to cope with increasing water scarcity by promoting the use of reclaimed water in Tordera and Llobregat (Spain) is also analysed. The economic, environmental and social outcomes from the implementation of these CAs along with their institutional set-up, transactions costs and policy implementability are highlighted. Overall conclusions from the findings of the representative case study areas are finally presented.
Alexandros Maziotis; Manuel Lago. Other Types of Incentives in Water Policy: An Introduction. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century 2015, 317 -324.
AMA StyleAlexandros Maziotis, Manuel Lago. Other Types of Incentives in Water Policy: An Introduction. Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century. 2015; ():317-324.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexandros Maziotis; Manuel Lago. 2015. "Other Types of Incentives in Water Policy: An Introduction." Freshwater Governance for the 21st Century , no. : 317-324.